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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — a country
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. squash — to crush
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a music group
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rock — a stone
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. squash — the sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. land — to come down
  19. band — a ring
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com